Today's West led the queen of hearts against South's game, and when North tabled the dummy, with K-J-5-2 of hearts, he offered a jocular comment: "I'd advise you to cover."

So South played the king. East took the ace and shifted to a trump, and West took the Q-A and led a third trump. South had nine tricks - four trumps, two diamonds, a heart, two clubs - but couldn't ruff any diamonds in dummy. He tried a club to dummy's jack, but East produced the queen. Down one.

TRUMP SHIFT

North's advice was worth just what it cost. South must play low from dummy on the first heart to avoid a trump shift through his hand. (If East overtakes with the ace, South gets an extra heart winner.) If West shifts to diamonds, South can take the A-K, ruff a diamond, ruff a heart and ruff a diamond, losing two trumps and a heart.

Here's some advice for West: Next time, lead the seven (!) of hearts. Then four spades is unmakable.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 10 8 7 6 4 H 3 D A K 6 2 C 7 3. Your partner opens 1NT, and the next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: If you use "transfer" responses to 1NT, you might bid four hearts, asking partner to bid four spades. Actually, slam is possible, and transfers will help you investigate. You can bid two hearts, then raise partner's two spades to four spades to show mild slam interest. He'll cooperate if he holds A Q 2, Q 8 7 6, Q 10 5, A K 8